Arcadia Vodka was conceived in an unusual fashion for a spirit: out of a brewery, by a beverage tinkerer who’d grown fond of rhum agricole, or rum made from sugar cane juice rather than traditional molasses. By and by, Jon Lane of O.H.S.O. Brewery decided to make his own cane-juice-based spirit. His first distilled product was #Vodka, a smooth, unaged spirit presented in a white-labeled bottle so generic that one recognizes it instantly. An unoaked rum and a mild, citrusy gin followed. All serve as the well drinks at Lane’s three O.H.S.O. locations.

But Lane didn’t stop there. Looking to incorporate Arizona-esque flavors into a line of craft vodkas – and give mixologists a leg up – he launched Arcadia Vodka last spring. The dynamic lineup includes grapefruit (great for a citrusy vodka soda), rosemary (ideal for a martini), cucumber (use it to make a garden-fresh Moscow Mule), horseradish (duh, Bloody Mary) and jalapeño (shake with lime and simple syrup for an exquisitely kicky Collins). Eschewing cheap flavor additives, Lane’s food engineers steep the ingredients in a mix of water and sugar cane before distilling into the final, fragrant product.
Orange and lemon Arcadia offerings are on the way, along with a coffee vodka, “for when you want more coffee in your coffee,” Lane says. Arcadia Vodka (750 ml for $25) is available at Cellars Fine Wine & Spirits in Phoenix, Tops Liquor in Tempe and big-box liquor stores Valleywide.